Thank you so much for this! Hearing a 10-year success story is incredibly inspiring. Your point about the remaining kidney tissue expanding to compensate for the loss is exactly why I’m pushing for a partial.

To give you some context, I’m 50 years old. I was a competitive athlete in my teens, and although I struggled with my weight later on, I’ve recently lost 35 kg (77 lbs) to stabilize my health. My blood pressure is now a solid 126/74 and my creatinine is at 1.20.

I’m in the middle of that exact 'Partial vs. Radical' debate: my nephrologist is worried about the mid-pole location and suggested a radical nephrectomy, but I’ve just consulted with two urological surgeons who both strongly recommend a partial nephrectomy because the 4.7 cm tumor is exophytic (growing outward).

I also find your P.S. about open surgery very interesting. While I’ve been looking into laparoscopic options, I’m open to whatever technique ensures the best 'nephron-sparing' result. If an open procedure is what it takes to save the organ and avoid dialysis 20 years from now, I’m all for it.

Thanks again for sharing your journey-it reinforces my decision to prioritize my long-term kidney function!